Text 6

1. Match the English equivalents with Russian ones:

1. Earth's surface

2. compass rose

3. large scale map

4. urban area

5. mapping agency

6. transport-network system

7. administrative division

8. relative humidity

9. population distribution

10. linguistic and social groups

11. educational attainment

12. small-scale map

13. to estimate distances

14. precise survey

1. агентство по изготовлению карт

2. административное деление

3. городская местность

4. достижения в сфере образования

5. крупномасштабная карта

6. мелкомасштабная карта

7. относительная влажность

8. оценить расстояние

9. поверхность Земли

10. распределение населения

11. роза ветров

12. система транспортных сетей

13. точная съемка

14. языковые и социальные группы

2. Read and translate the text:

Types of Maps

A map is a picture or representation of the Earth's surface, showing how things are related to each other by distance, direction, and size. Maps are a way of showing many things about a portion of the earth's surface on a flat piece of paper that can be carried and transported easily.

There are several types of maps. Each shows different information. Most maps include a compass rose, which indicates which way is north, south, east and west. They also include a scale so you can estimate distances.

Here's a look at some different types of maps.

Types of maps based on scale: on the basis of scale, maps may be classified into large-scale and small-scale. Large scale maps are drawn to show small areas at a relatively large-scale. For example, the topographical maps drawn at a scale of 1: 250,000, 1:50,000 or 1:25,000 and the village maps, the zonal plans of the cities and house plans prepared on a scale of 1:4,000, 1:2,000 and 1:500 are large scale maps.

On the other hand, small-scale maps are drawn to show large areas. For example, atlas maps, wall maps, etc.

Large-scale maps are further divided into the following types:

(a) Cadastral maps

(b) Topographical maps

(a) Cadastral maps: the term ‘cadastral’ is derived from the French word ‘cadastre’ meaning ‘register of territorial property’. These maps are drawn to show the ownership of landed property by demarcating field boundaries of agricultural land and the plan of individual houses in urban areas. The cadastral maps are prepared by the government agencies to realize revenue and taxes, along with keeping a record of ownership. These maps are drawn on a very large scale, such as the cadastral maps of villages at 1 : 4,000 scale and the city plans at a scale of 1 : 2,000 and larger.

(b) Topographical maps are also prepared on a fairly large scale. The topographical maps are based on precise surveys and are prepared in the form of series of maps made by the national mapping agencies of almost all countries of the world.

Small-scale maps are further divided into the following types:

(a) wall maps

(b) atlas maps

(a) Wall maps are generally drawn on large size paper or on plastic base for use in classrooms or lecture halls. The scale of wall maps is generally smaller than the scale of topographical maps but larger than atlas maps.

(b) Atlas maps are very small-scale maps. These maps represent fairly large areas and present highly generalized picture of the physical or cultural features. Even so, an atlas map serves as a graphic encyclopedia of the geographical information about the world, continents, countries or regions. When consulted properly, these maps provide a wealth of generalized information regarding location, relief, drainage, climate, vegetation, distribution of cities and towns, population, location of industries, transport-network system, tourism and heritage sites, etc.

Types of maps based on function: the maps may also be classified on the basis of their functions. For example, a political map serves the function of providing administrative divisions of a continent or a country and a soil map shows the distribution of different types of soils. Broadly, maps based on their functions may be classified into physical maps and cultural maps.

Physical maps show natural features such as relief, geology, soils, drainage, elements of weather, climate and vegetation, etc.

(a) Relief maps show general topography of an area like mountains and valleys, plains, plateaus and drainage.

(b) Geological maps are drawn to show geological structures, rock types, etc.

(c) Climatic maps depict climatic regions of an area. Besides, maps are also drawn to show the distribution of temperature, rainfall, cloudiness, relative humidity, direction and velocity of winds and other elements of weather.

(d) Soil maps are also drawn to show the distribution of different types of soils and their properties.

Cultural maps show man-made features. These include a variety of maps showing population distribution and growth, sex and age, social and religious composition, literacy, levels of educational attainment, occupational structure, location of settlements, facilities and services, transportation lines and production, distribution and flow of different commodities.

(a) Political maps show the administrative divisions of an area such as country, state or district. These maps facilitate the administrative machinery in planning and management of the concerned administrative unit.

(b) Population maps are drawn to show the distribution, density and growth of population, age and sex composition, distribution of religious, linguistic and social groups, occupational structure of the population, etc. Population maps serve the most significant role in the planning and development of an area.

(c) Economic maps depict production and distribution of different types of crops and minerals, location of industries and markets, routes for trade and flow of commodities.

(d) Transportation maps show roads, railway lines and the location of railway stations and airports.

3. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below:

1) Which one of the following is essential for the network of lines and polygons to be called a map?

a) map legend

b) symbols

c) north direction

d) map scale

2) A map bearing a scale of 1:4000 and larger is called:

a) cadastral map

b) topographical map

c) wall map

d) atlas map

3) Which one of the following is not an essential element of maps?

a) map projection

b) map generalization

c) map design

d) history of maps

4) On the basis of scale, maps may be classified into:

a) atlas and cadastral maps

b) large-scale and small-scale maps

c) physical and cultural maps

d) wall and atlas maps

5) Maps based on their functions may be classified into:

a) geological and cadastral maps

b) large-scale and small-scale maps

c) physical and cultural maps

d) soil and climatic maps

6) A map that serves the function of providing administrative divisions of a continent or a country is:

a) a political map

b) a cadastral map

c) a soil map

d) an economic map

7) All maps include a scale so you can:

a) measure angles

b) measure heights

c) estimate distances

d) show relief

4. Answer the following question:

1. What is a map?

2. What are the main two principles in classification of maps?

3. What are different types of small-scale maps?

4. List out two major types of large-scale maps?

5. What are cadastral maps drawn for?

6. What are topographic maps based on?

7. What are the main types of maps based on their functions?

8. How is a map different from a sketch?